General Help

[Shaggie]

I cannot seem to get on the fish no matter what I do. I fish a particular lake several times a week. The bottom is mostly rip rap and water depth depends on where I stand. It can be a very steep 30ish feet or a very gradual slope to 10-15. There is little to no vegetation or laydowns. The lake gets drawn down through the winter to kill off shallow vegetation. It's incredibly clear. I'd guess about 20 feet. I know there are large bass in there as I've seen them. I've also found beds that were about 4 feet across.

I'm getting frustrated. I've spent hours trying everything I own. Help

[Sam]

Try Glimmer Blue plastics, #043 Zoom.

Try Clear with Large Black Flakes Senko, #187.

Try translucent crankbaits.

Go with a 4" finesse worm fished wacky with a small drop shot hook and a 1/16 tungsten weight on top of the hook's eye on 6 pound fluorocarbon line. Cast; let sink to bottom; let sit for 60-seconds; then slowly hop it back to you.

Go with same 4" finesse worm on a drop shot and cast out; let sit; then "shake, shake, shake the bait" as you bring it back to you, slowly. The movement of the bait will lead to aggravation strikes. The more shakes the more it will attract the fish as bass are inquisitive animals. Use rod tip to shake the bait and move it back to you in small movements.

If the water is as clear as you say it is then the bass will be getting a good look at your baits. If they don't look like what the bass are feeding on they will ignore it or hit it out of frustration. So check out what forage is in the lake.

Now, one other suggestion: You say there is rip rap on the bottom. Sounds like a challenge for a jig and pig that mimics a crawfish. Blue/Black or Green Pumpkin or Peanut Butter and Jelly. Go with a small jig for starters and work up to heavier weights. Chances are that the bass are feeding on bottom forage or baitfish that are in the rip rap.

Try a Carolina Rig to hit the bottom and about a foot off the bottom. Lizards, brush hogs and the plastics of your choice may work.

If you can see any changes in the rip rap, big rocks to small rocks, or other changes in the bottom structure then fish those areas.

Sorry to say you will have to experiment and keep a log of each day you go fishing so you can try to find the pattern.

Good luck.

[Fisher-O-men]

What time of day are you fishing? Dark to First light is hard to beat. 

[S. Sass]

Assuming you are on the fish since you said you can see them 1/2 the battle is done. All you have to do is offer the correct bait with the correct presentation to incite the bite. Work methodically through the baits like Sam suggested above. Keep plugging away at it eventually you will figure it out. If it was simple everyone could do it. 

[papajoe222]

One of two presentations should render some results.  Mojo (split shot) rig and a crank that will get down to and deflect off the rip rap.  With the clear water and lack of other cover, you want to get down into those rocks. Start with the crank and  follow up with the mojo rig.

I'm assuming that you're shore bound, so casts parallel to the shoreline are out, biut you can still angle your casts to the right and left. Work the area as if it were a clock from 10:00 to 2:00 then move down the bank 

you can add a spinnerbait or topwater to the mix under low light conditions and like F-O-M night fishing eliminates your concern regarding water clarity. 

[burrows]

17 hours ago, Shaggie said:

I cannot seem to get on the fish no matter what I do. I fish a particular lake several times a week. The bottom is mostly rip rap and water depth depends on where I stand. It can be a very steep 30ish feet or a very gradual slope to 10-15. There is little to no vegetation or laydowns. The lake gets drawn down through the winter to kill off shallow vegetation. It's incredibly clear. I'd guess about 20 feet. I know there are large bass in there as I've seen them. I've also found beds that were about 4 feet across.

I'm getting frustrated. I've spent hours trying everything I own. Help

To fish a lake several times a week and not catch anything is pretty darn dedicated, I probably would have sworn that lake off. Like Ike says "never give up "

[chadmack282]

Can u get a topo map of lake?   

[Shaggie]

On 6/20/2016 at 8:42 PM, chadmack282 said:

Can u get a topo map of lake?   

Not sure.

[chadmack282]

What's the name & where is it?

[Cgolf]

I agree with Sam on matching the hatch and want to throw out the idea of tossing a yum Crawbug over the rip rap either on a standard jig head or something like a slider head. They are realistic and cheap so you aren't out much when you snag up solid on a rock. I use them a lot for smallies where their main forage is craws.